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| Wetherspoons: Picture credit Cliff Sherwood via Folkestone Then and Now website |
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| Wetherspoon`s 1999. Credit Martin Easdown |
Licensees
Andrew Wilson, Janine Winward, Gregory Jones and Justin Lysandrou 1998 1999
Andrew Wilson, Shaun Pulford and Bernedene Pulford 1999 1999
Mark Powell, Shaun Pulford, Bernedene Pulford 1999 1999
Mark Powell, Shaun Pulford, Bernedene Pulford and Clive Powell 1999 2000
Mark Powell, Clive Phillips, Anthony De Almeida and Michelle De Almeida 2000 2000
Mark Powell, Simon Pitcher and Caroline Williams 2000 2001
Mark Powell and Paul Wilkey 2001 2001
Paul Wilkey and Marie Pinson 2001 2001
Paul Wilkey, Marie Pinson and Shawn Wynne 2001 2003
Emma Pollard and Bethany Daniels 2003 2003
Emma Pollard and Daniel Harman 2003 2004
Daniel Harman, Stephen Maxlow and Melanie Maxlow 2004 2004 +
Folkestone Herald
21-8-1997
Local News
A new pub promising no music and no gimmicks could soon
be opening in Folkestone. The Wetherspoons company hope to convert the Baptist
Galleries, in Rendezvous Street, into a traditional pub, and bosses say it
could be open by Easter next year – creating around 30 new jobs. The firm hope
to get a licence next month and then start renovation work, which could take
around six months.
David Isaac, from Wetherspoons, said “This will be a
traditional-style public house with modern facilities. There will be no music,
no pool, no darts and no TV”.
The former Baptist Church, which is a listed building,
was constructed in 1854, and has been used as a shopping arcade and theatre –
and in 1990 it was claimed it is haunted.
Mr. Isaac added “Many of our premises are converted buildings,
and if we able to get a building with a bit of character, that`s great”.
Shepway District Council has welcomed plans to revive the
Galleries. A spokesman said “We welcome any move which prevents such a fine
building as this from falling into further decay”.
Folkestone Herald
16-4-1998
Toby Jugs
Jugs hears the new Weatherspoon`s pub in Rendezvous
Street is opening a week earlier than expected. The former Baptist Galleries
will open this Saturday after £1.13 million building works to convert the
former theatre and indoor market into a two-level pub.
A spokesman said the plans had proceeded quicker than
expected and the rush was now on to complete all the paperwork in time. The pub
will specialise in cask-conditioned beers, serving six at all times, including
a regular regional beer, Shepherd Neame`s Spitfire. It will be thoroughly modern,
with no-smoking areas, accessible to people with disabilities and will serve a
full menu throughout the week. The walls will be covered with pictures, photos
and text relating to the history and characters of the area and the building
itself.
Oh, and while Jugs has his religious hat on, it used to
be a Baptist Church. This is getting depressing!
Folkestone Herald
23-4-1998
Toby Jugs
Workmen were beavering away late into the night to make
sure the new Weatherspoon`s met its opening day on Saturday. So much so that
when Jugs paid an unofficial visit to the premises before the opening, no-one
noticed he was there. Must say, even for my pub-sore eyes, it was quite a
place, with some magnificent statues and plants, and stairs right out of a West
End theatre. After a little scepticism last week, I was quite taken by how
sensitive designers had been to preserve the old Baptist Gallery.
Managers Janine Winward and Greg Jones were welcoming
their first guests at the weekend.
Keep on reading!
Folkestone Herald
16-7-1998
Toby Jugs
Wetherspoon`s showed no football during the World Cup –
but the fact doesn`t cheer Jugs as much as he expected.
Despite my acid comments about the competition, I must
shamefully admit to a conversion during the France v Italy game – watched
through a bar room door. Perhaps it was the national anthems, the exotic names
and sheer skill of some of the players...... Now I`m quite sad it`s four years
until the next big one. No gloating, please.
Folkestone Herald
26-11-1998
Local News
As the clock strikes midnight on December 31, 1999, many
party revellers will be delighted to be toasting 2000 in a packed pub. But they
won`t be doing it in Folkestone`s Weatherspoon`s pub on Rendezvous Street, as
the bosses of the pub chain have decided to close for the night and give all
their staff New Year`s Eve off. All 280 pubs in the chain will ring for last
orders at 8 p.m.
Manager of Folkestone`s Weatherspoon`s, Sean Pulford,
could not conceal his delight at not having to work New Year`s Eve for the
first time in 13 years. He said “All of our 14 staff are thrilled, and
personally I`m very happy”.
Folkestone Herald 14-1-1999
Local News
The “last sale of the century” is the name publican Sean
Pulford has given his early year cheap beer. Sean is offering customers special
prices on a range of drinks at his pub, Wetherspoon`s, The Baptist Galleries, Rendezvous
Street, Folkestone. The sale runs from Monday, January 4 to Sunday, February 14
inclusive, with the special offers available from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m. each day.
The offers include a bottle of Theakston Best for 99p, a bottle of Beck`s for
99p, a pint of Foster`s for £1.99 and a pint of Guinness for £1.49. In
addition, customers can enjoy a pint of John Smith`s for 99p all day.
Sean said “Department stores and shops have New Year
sales, so we decided to have one too”.
Folkestone Herald
27-5-1999
Local News
Wetherspoon`s in Folkestone stands in a converted church
a short hop from the Channel. A slightly longer hop brings you to mainland
Europe, now in the process of adapting to the Euro. Given this close proximity
to a potential European beer market, why is it that Tim Martin, chairman of
Wetherspoon`s, insists that the pub will never accept the Euro?
“This is not a publicity stunt”, Eddie Gershon, the
chain`s spokesman, claimed.
Yet it is undeniable that this announcement will add to
the pub`s reputation for “being different”, already apparent in the silent
backdrop to daily drinking. Wetherspoon`s doesn`t play music – and it won`t
play the European game either.
According to chairman, Tim Martin, the Euro is a
“nonsense”. Furthermore, he said their pubs had not had a single request from a
customer wishing to pay in Euros. Wetherspoon`s doesn`t view this as a problem.
As of this week, pubs in the south will be accepting French Francs, US Dollars
and travellers` cheques. But Wetherspoon`s insists it will only accept the Euro
if it becomes law.
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| Photo from Folkestone Herald |
Folkestone Herald
16-9-1999
Local News
In response to government concerns about the price of
soft drinks in pubs, Wetherspoon`s has cut the price of a pint of Coca Cola to
90p. This compares with prices of up to £2 in many pubs, where soft drinks can
be as expensive as beer. The move by Wetherspoon`s coincides with the launch of
its new price list, which covers a whole range of drinks, from bottles and
pints of beer to wine.
Pub manager, Sean Pulford, said “I`m certain that
customers at Wetherspoon`s will be more than happy with the new prices. They
compare extremely well with the national average prices, and I`m confident the
pub offers the best value and choice of drinks in the area”.
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